Starting 0-2 isn't catastrophic. There are seven 0-3 teams right now in the NBA and some of the teams are very shocking. Washington, Miami, Chicago and Golden St, all playoff teams last year, have started the season 0-3. Throw in Sacramento, Portland and Seattle and that makes seven.
Do teams start to panic starting 0-3? Denver made the playoffs last season despite an 0-3 start. Phoenix started 1-4 last season. Toronto was 2-8 to start the season. A slow start is not the end of the world, as long as the team continues to build during the season.
Which brings me back to the Grizzlies. The 0-2 start is better than 7 other teams in the NBA. What's more they are playing Seattle and Portland in the next two games. I don't want to say these are important games but no team last season that started 0-4 made the playoffs.
Not that there is anything wrong with that. Washington gets the Grizzlies top draft pick if they make the playoffs after all.
Seattle hosts Sacramento the night before Memphis comes to town (interesting that they are able to have back to back home games but Memphis isn't). Portland has a rematch with the Hornets squad that blew them out in New Orleans on Wednesday as well. These games are games the Grizzlies can win but they are also games that Seattle and Portland have marked as potential streak ending wins. Should make the games exciting to watch without mentioning Durant, Green, Roy and the other young guns on display.
Which brings up the question, do the Grizzlies need to win a game on this road trip?
A quick update:
ReplyDeleteMiami is now 0-4, Chicago is 0-4, Golden St is 0-4 and Seattle is 0-5.
Memphis is 1-2 with a perfect road record!